The vast majority of Kashmiris, 63%, oppose India and Pakistan going to war to find a permanent solution to the situation in Kashmir and believe the correct way to bring peace to the region is through democratic elections (71%). They also believe the unique cultural identity of the region should be preserved in any long-term solution (81%), and there is virtually no support for the state of Jammu and Kashmir being divided on the basis of religion or ethnic group (8%).

There is also widespread consensus on the types of proposals, which will help to bring about peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Among the things that more than 85% of the population believe will help bring peace to the region are: economic development, free and fair elections, direct consultation between the Indian government and the people of Kashmir, an end to militant violence, and the stopping of infiltration of militants across the Line of Control.

An overwhelming 92% opposed the state of Kashmir being divided on the basis of religion or ethnicity. There was also overwhelming support - 91% - for a forum in which Kashmiris from both sides of the Line of Control can discuss common interests. Views were split on the issue of granting more autonomy to Kashmir. Overall 55% supported 'India and Pakistan granting as much autonomy as they can to both sides of Kashmir to govern their own affairs. However, while the majority in Srinagar and Leh supported this, the majority in Jammu opposed this policy.

There are clearly different perceptions of the behaviour of the security forces. Nobody who was interviewed in Leh or Jammu believed human rights violations by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir are widespread, whereas in Srinagar 64% of the population believe they are widespread. Perceptions are different with respect to human rights violations by militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir. 96% of those in Jammu believe such violations are widespread whereas only 2% of those in Srinagar believe they are widespread (although 33% believe they are 'occasional'). A very clear majority of the population - 65% - believes the presence of foreign militants in Jammu and Kashmir is damaging to the Kashmir cause, and most of the rest take the view that it is neither damaging nor helpful.

Perceptions of the role of Pakistan are also mixed. Those in Jammu and Leh mostly take the view that Pakistan's involvement in the region over the past ten years has been bad, while those in Srinagar have much more mixed views. More think it has made no real difference (41%) than that it has been either good (35%) or bad (23%).

On the issue of citizenship, overall, 61% said they felt they would be better off politically and economically as an Indian citizen and only 6% as a Pakistani citizen, but 33% said they did not know. However, all the 'don't knows' were concentrated in Srinagar. Whereas 99% of respondents in Jammu and 100% in Leh felt they would be better off as Indian citizens, 78% of those in Srinagar said they did not know while 9% felt they would be better off as Indian citizens and 13% as Pakistani citizens.
Details:http://www.mori.com/polls/2002/kashmir.shtml

Technical details: Fieldwork was carried out by FACTS Worldwide, MORI's affiliate company in India, between 20 - 28 April 2002. In total, 850 interviews were completed, face-to-face, with adults aged 16+ across 55 localities within Jammu and Kashmir. This comprised 22 localities in Jammu City, 20 in Srinagar City and 6 in Leh (urban areas), as well as in 3 villages around Jammu and 4 villages around Srinagar (rural areas). Quotas were set by gender, religion (assessed by observation) and locality, according to the known population profile of the region. A random selection procedure was used to select individual respondents.

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